Minoru: Memory of Exile

The bombing of the American naval base at Pearl Harbor thrust 9-year-old Minoru Fukushima into a world of racism so malevolent he would be forced to leave Canada, the land of his birth. Like thousands of other Japanese Canadians, Minoru and his family were branded as an enemy of Canada, dispatched to internment camps in British Columbia and finally deported to Japan. Directed by Michael Fukushima, Minoru's son, the film combines classical animation with archival material. The memories of the father are interspersed with the voice of the son, weaving a tale of a birthright lost and recovered.

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Saw your film on the Knowledge Network (BC) just now. That's just a wonderful tribute to your Dad, your grandparents, and all the Canadians who were treated so dreadfully. In the course of my life I've heard my parents reflect the attitudes of those times. I happen to have grown up in places where there were internment camps- the Kootenays, Greenwood, Christina Lake. I met a lot of people who were around then and who were involved. The lesson I draw from it is this: we must always be aware that it is possible for governments to do terrible things, and we must never forget, or we will repeat the crimes of the past. And we Canadians are far from innocent of these things that so many would like to just sweep under the rug and forget. We must never forget. We must teach our children. And your film is a great aide in doing just that. Thank you for it.

duglarri, 4 Jul 2013

Thanks for sharing this story. Very touching, very important to remember. Very nicely narrated. A sad story indeed. How does Canada make these decisions? Makes me think of our First Nations people...sad again.